First Fil-Am mayor of Vallejo, California sworn in

Bob Sampayan is the first Filipino American mayor of Vallejo, California. CAMPAIGN PHOTO

VALLEJO, California – Vallejo’s first mayor of Filipino ancestry, Bob Sampayan, was sworn Jan. 3 as mayor to a city with nearly 25,000 Filipinos.

Sampayan, a first term city council member, was elected in November. He thanked his campaign team and family for all their support. He also spoke about how the city should move forward in the coming years.
Sampayan was born the oldest of two children in 1952 in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. He was an “Army brat” whose military family lived throughout the Pacific and United States. They settled in Salinas, CA in the late 1950’s where Bob and his brother lived until both began their college education. Bob received his formal education at Hartnell Community College in Salinas and at San Jose State University majoring in Administration of Justice.

Sampayan served decades in law enforcement with the Palo Alto Police Department and the City of Vallejo Police Department, eventually taking command of the Central Community Substation. He retired in 2006 but returned to work in 2009 with Fighting Back Partnership (FBP) as the Crime Prevention Coordinator. He specialized in Neighborhood Watch programs, business watch, personal safety, home and business security and civil nuisance abatement.

Sampayan is married to Ramona and lives in the Hiddenbrooke subdivision in Vallejo. They have two grown children and two grandchildren who also reside in Vallejo.